Arizona Caress: She Feels The Heat Of His Hot Embrace

by Bobbi Smith

  Pacing the hallway, she tried to concentrate on her surroundings and on what might be transpiring behind the closed doors where Agatha had gone, but her wayward thoughts kept returning to last night and to Chance. She had no idea what time he'd returned home from the party, and that had left her upset despite the likelihood of her own good news. The memory of him in Bethany's arms was agony to her, and she could only think that he'd spent the night with her. Her heart weighed heavy in her breast at the thought—Chance loved Bethany.

  Rori decided that maybe it was a good thing Agatha hadn't been able to rouse him that morning to tell him where they were going and why. Perhaps it was better this way, for if things worked out, she wouldn't have to see him again for a while. That would give her the time she needed to get control of her emotions.

  Rori jumped nervously as the door to the study suddenly opened. When Agatha called out to her to join them, she took a second to compose herself and then moved into the room.

  "Aurora, I'd like you to meet your great-aunt and great-uncle, Charlotte and Joseph Prescott," Agatha was saying with a delighted smile. "Charlotte and Joseph, this is Aurora, Jack's daughter."

  The Prescotts stood hesitantly for a minute in the middle of the room as they regarded the lovely young woman before them. Only when Rori lifted her gaze questioningly to meet theirs, did they recognize her resemblance to Burton in her emerald eyes and know without doubt that she was their kin.

  "Dear Lord, our prayers have been answered!" Charlotte moved quickly to her. "Aurora, you have no idea how we've longed for news of your father and grandfather, and now you're here. You've come home."

  Rori was engulfed in a sweet, loving embrace as her great-aunt Charlotte took her in her arms. It was a tender moment, and Joseph joined them to press a kiss on Rori's cheek.

  "Welcome, Aurora," he told her huskily, deep emotion shining in his eyes. "Welcome home."

  Aurora's gaze met his, and he looked so much like Burr that she couldn't stop herself from hugging him when she and Charlotte moved apart.

  "Thank you, Uncle Joseph." Her voice was tear-stained. In his strong embrace, she felt the same cherishing affection Burr had always bestowed upon her. She knew he was right—she was home.

  "Has Agatha told you everything?" Rori asked as they moved to sit down.

  "Everything . . ." Joseph replied, the sadness of hearing of his brother and nephew's deaths obvious.

  "We can't imagine what you've suffered losing your parents and then Burton, but we can help make the rest of your life one of happiness, Aurora—if you'll let us," Charlotte offered.

  Rori was nearly choked with joy as she returned their embrace. "Yes, yes, oh, yes. Thank you . . ."

  "Thank you, dear," Charlotte told her with heartfelt emotion. "Our lives have been so empty, but now we have you . . ."

  Some time later, Agatha started on her way back home alone. Charlotte and Joseph had not wanted Aurora to leave. They had so much to catch up on that they had appealed to Agatha to let her stay. Seeing the young woman's happiness at having discovered relatives she'd never known existed, Agatha had agreed and had promised to pack up her possessions and send them along later that day. It was a joyous time for Rori and the Prescotts. Everyone was thrilled that things had worked out so well.

  Chance woke up some time after the noon hour, and immediately regretted ever having opened his eyes. He knew there was a reason he wanted to jump out of bed and get going today, but for the life of him he couldn't think of what it was right now. His head was throbbing, his mouth tasted like half of the Union Army had trooped through it, and every inch of his body ached. Vaguely, he recalled a night spent alone in a saloon, but beyond that everything seemed pretty fuzzy. All he knew was that he was lying there, still fully dressed, and that he felt awful.

  Chance levered himself up and then swung his long legs over the side of his bed. He rested his elbows on his knees and cradled his head in his hands as he waited for the room to come into focus. It took a minute for him to get his bearings, and when he finally did, he got slowly to his feet. He noticed uncomfortably that the odor of liquor and smoke still clung to his clothes, and his stomach churned uneasily at the stench.

  Chance figured it couldn't hurt to open the window, so he made his way to it and, without thinking, threw the drapes wide. The brightness of the noonday sun was a jolt of agony to his already beleaguered senses. He groaned out loud as he fell back across the bed and rested a forearm over his eyes to protect them.

  "What the hell did you do last night, you idiot?" he asked himself disgustedly.

  The answer came in a soft, gentle revelation . . . Rori. She floated into his thoughts and brought him upright on the bed. Rori—beautiful, wild-spirited, passionate Rori—he loved her, and he had to tell her. Mindless to the stabbing pain in his temples, he bolted from the bed. He wondered what time it was, and when he focused on the mantel clock and saw that it was already afternoon, he started to rush from the room to find her.

  Chance passed the mirror on the way out and came to a screeching halt. He looked terrible. His hair was a mess, he was unshaven, and his clothes were wrinkled beyond belief. He did not want to face Rori with the truth of his feelings for her looking and smelling like he did, so he threw off his clothes and set about getting cleaned up.

  When Chance finally left his bedroom and started downstairs it was nearly half an hour later. He was fully expecting to find his mother and Rori at home. He suspected that they might be annoyed with him . . . Chance paused in his thoughts and reasoned that they were probably furious with him, but that would all be set to rights just as soon as he told Rori everything. After that it would be a simple matter to plan the wedding and then . . .

  Chance was grinning widely, feeling confident and cocky, as he reached the downstairs hall. He hesitated at the bottom of the stairs to listen for the sound of their voices. When he discovered it was silent, he frowned and went looking for them. He found Jeannie in the kitchen.

  "Where are my mother and Rori?" he inquired.

  "They went out quite early this morning, Mr. Chance. Miss Agatha tried to wake you, but you were sleeping too soundly, I guess."

  "I see," Chance answered, disappointed. "Do you know where they were going?"

  "No, sir, and Miss Agatha didn't say when they'd be back."

  "Oh." He'd been so excited that it aggravated him to have to cool his heels and wait for their return. "Thanks . . ."

  His high hopes deflated, Chance retreated down the hall to the study intending to work until they returned. He stared at the stack of papers on his desk with little enthusiasm, but decided to at least try to accomplish something while he was waiting.

  Agatha's step was light as she came up the steps to the house. Aurora would be fine with the Prescotts, she just knew it. Joseph and Charlotte were going to be wonderful to her, and she would have all the love she deserved.

  Agatha was a bit annoyed with Chance, though. She could have sworn that he cared a great deal for Aurora. Yet at the party last night, he had paid scant attention to her, allowing all the other bachelors of Boston to court her without interference. Then, to top everything off, he had not returned home until the wee hours of the morning. Where had that boy been and what had he been up to?

  Agatha wondered if she could have been wrong in her instinctive belief that Chance was in love with Aurora. She considered it thoughtfully for a moment now, but really felt that her initial intuitive reaction still rang true. Of course, she realized time would tell, and she entered the house, ready to order Aurora's things packed and delivered to the Prescott mansion.

  Chance heard the door and came quickly out of the study. "Mother . . . Rori . . ." When he found his mother alone in the hall, he stared at her blankly. "Where's Rori?"

  "Well, hello to you, too, Chancellor," Agatha replied sharply.

  Chance had expected to taste of her disapproval. "Hello, Mother," he said contritely as he went to kiss her cheek. "Where's Rori?"

 
"It seems that's the second time I've heard that question."

  "And?" Chance led a little anxiously.

  She moved into the parlor with him trailing behind her and then turned to fix him with an icy regard. "Aurora is out of your reach, my clumsy son."

  "Out of my reach? What are you talking about?" he demanded.

  "I'm talking about the major discovery she and I made last night."

  "Discovery? What kind of discovery?"

  "Aurora, it seems, is none other but the grand-niece of Joseph Prescott. Her grandfather, who you knew as Burr, was really Burton Prescott, Joseph's long lost bother."

  "What?" Chance was stunned by the revelation. Rori was a Prescott?

  "Aurora had some letters and a few keepsakes that linked her directly to them. The family resemblance, by the way, is phenomenal." She was growing amused at the conflicting emotions that were flitting across Chance's for once unguarded features.

  "Rori is a Prescott . . .?" Chance said dumbly.

  "Yes she is, and she's there with them now. They are just crazy in love with her already. You wouldn't believe how happy they were to find out that Burton had had a granddaughter."

  "I'll bet," he replied distractedly. "Well, when is she coming home? I've got to talk to her and . . ."

  "She is home, Chancellor. The Prescotts have welcomed her with open arms. Aurora will be living with them from now on."

  "No, no, no. Wait a minute. I'm Rori's guardian."

  "Not anymore. She has a family now, and, I must say, a most doting one."

  Chance was completely bewildered. "Rori's gone to live with the Prescotts, and I wasn't even told about it?"

  "My darling son," Agatha began. She had been waiting for this moment. "Had you decided to come home last night at a reasonable hour, you might have learned of it then or possibly this morning, had I been able to wake you. I tried four times to rouse you, you know."

  He had the grace to look shamefaced as he remained silent.

  "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to see to having her things packed and sent over."

  "Her things sent over . . . How did this all happen? When did this happen?"

  "As you know, we left the party early last night. Aurora wasn't feeling well, and she was upset about something."

  "She was?" Chance didn't know how he was supposed to have known that they'd left Bethany's early, but he'd worry about that later.

  "Yes, so I sat with her in her room for a while, and we talked. She showed me some of the things she had from her grandfather, and there were some letters . . . Well, since she couldn't read, she had no idea what was in them. I had just started to read them to her when we made the discovery of Burr's true identity. The rest I've already told you."

  "I'll be back." Chance was already striding from the room.

  "Where are you going?"

  "I have to talk to Rori. I'll see you later." And with that, Chance was gone from the house.

  Agatha watched him go and smiled. She knew she'd been right all along. Chance did care about Aurora. Why else would he be rushing off to see her? However, she wondered what kind of reception her son was going to get. Aurora had seemed greatly relieved when he hadn't gotten up that morning. It had been almost as if she dreaded seeing him. Agatha had guessed then that Chance had been the cause of her upset at the party. It was certainly going to be interesting to see how things turned out. Agatha started upstairs to arrange for the packing of Aurora's clothing all the while wondering if her longtime bachelor son had finally met his match.

  Chance wasn't sure how he felt about Rori's newfound family ties. He figured none of it would matter, though, because once he told her that he loved her, everything would be fine.

  It seemed to Chance that he would never reach the Prescott home, but when he did, he practically sprinted up the stairs. He knocked with gusto on the door, fully confident that he would get to see Rori and have the opportunity to tell her how he felt.

  Rori had been in the front sitting room with her great-aunt Charlotte when she saw Chance coming up the walk toward the house. Just the sight of him set her blood racing through her veins, but she fought down her excitement with the memory of his torrid embrace with Bethany.

  Rori went pale as the pain of losing him flooded through her. Her hands began to shake at the thought of trying to act coolly around him, and she was forced to set the tea cup she'd been holding aside. She might be able to pretend to be a lady when she was out in society, and she might even eventually come to believe it herself, but she wasn't a good enough actress to carry off an air of nonchalance around Chance so soon. Knowing that she'd never have his love hurt her too badly. Tears swam in her eyes, and she stood up, meaning to flee the room and the house if she had to.

  "Aurora . . . what's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost," Charlotte said, her concern very real as she saw the tears.

  "I . . . um . . . I just saw Chance coming up the front path, and I don't want to talk to him." She stood there nervously.

  Charlotte was puzzled. Chance had supposedly been her guardian. Still, she was not about to let anything upset the newest member of their family. Aurora was too precious to them. They'd just found each other, and she wanted their time together to be happy. She would protect that fiercely.

  "Don't worry, dear. If you don't want to see someone, you don't have to," she told her.

  "Really?" Rori brightened.

  "Really. Now, you just wait here. I'll handle everything."

  "Thank you, Aunt Charlotte," Rori breathed in relief. The last thing she needed was to see Chance. The farther away from him she stayed, the easier it would be to get over him.

  Charlotte left the sitting room and entered the hall just as Chance knocked on the front door. She summoned the butler, who was going to answer it.

  "This is a caller for Miss Aurora, and she doesn't want to see him. Please make that plain to the gentleman."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  Charlotte retreated to the sitting room with Aurora and shut the door just as the servant answered Chance's knock.

  "Good afternoon. I'm Chance Broderick, and I've come to see Rori. Is she here?" he asked, trying to look down the hall past the manservant hoping to catch sight of her.

  "Yes, Miss Aurora is in. However, she is not taking any callers right now, sir."

  "She'll see me. I'm sure of it. Just tell her I'm here, please." Chance was trying to be cordial, but he was growing slightly frustrated. Where was Rori? He needed to see her.

  "I'm sorry, sir."

  "What do you mean you're sorry?"

  "Miss Aurora gave specific instructions. She doesn't want to see you."

  "But, why?"

  "I'm sure I wouldn't know, sir. If you'll excuse me? I will tell her that you stopped by."

  "Yes. Thank you." Chance stepped back outside and had the door closed in his face. Confused and bewildered, he glanced at the house as if expecting it to reveal the answer, then turned to go.

  Charlotte watched from the window until he was out of sight and then told Rori, "He's gone."

  "Thank you, Aunt Charlotte."

  "Aurora," she ventured cautiously. "Is this something you'd like to talk about? Chance has always impressed me as being such a nice young man, and yet you seemed really upset at the prospect of seeing him." Charlotte knew that they were just now getting acquainted and that she was intruding on her niece's private business. But she wanted Aurora to know that she'd be more than happy to help or advise her in any way.

  "It's something personal . . . something I'm just not ready to talk about yet, that's all."

  "All right," she agreed, allowing her her privacy. "I shall tell all the servants that you do not want to see him. That way you won't get any unwelcome surprises," Charlotte decreed. She was concerned about Aurora's mood, but didn't press her. Their relationship was too new, too fragile. She would do whatever was necessary to make Aurora feel safe and protected. She was a Prescott now, and nothing would ever hurt her again as lo
ng as she lived.

  Chance returned home, his mood black. He tried to figure out why Rori was refusing to see him, but could come up with no answer. The last time they'd spoken had been the night before when they were dancing at Bethany's. It had been their usual sparring, nothing out of the ordinary. He wracked his brain trying to figure out what had happened. His mother had said she was upset and they left the party early . . . Maybe his mother was the key to this. He went looking for her and found her in the parlor.

  "Mother . . ."

  "How did your visit with Aurora go, dear?" Agatha asked, trying not to sound too eager for news of the encounter.

  "Last night you said you left the party early because Rori was upset. Do you know what was bothering her?"

  She gave him a knowing look. "I take it you didn't have a very good meeting with her."

  "I didn't even get to see her."

  "What do you mean?"

  "She told the butler that she didn't want to talk to me. Do you know why?"

  "No, dear. She didn't tell me a thing. Did you two have an argument last night?"

  "No. In fact, I didn't even know that you two had gone home early."

  "You didn't?"

  He shook his head. "I had already left."

  This surprised Agatha. "Why?"

  "Bethany. She fancies herself in love with me, but I'm not in love with her. I told her so last night, and then I left the party. I spent the night in a saloon down on the waterfront."

  "Sounds like a pleasant evening," she remarked dryly.

  Chance shot her a scowling look just as Big Jake happened to lumber into the room. His heart gave a decided leap as he realized that the dog could be the key to seeing Rori. "I don't know why she won't see me, but I'm going to find out, and Jake's going to help me. How soon will her things be packed and ready?"

  "They're ready now. Why?"

  "I think Jake and I will accompany them to the Prescotts'."

  Chapter Thirty-three

  "Well, what do you think?" Charlotte asked Rori as she showed her through the extra bedrooms on the second floor. They had been used strictly for guest rooms until now, and she was eagerly anticipating redecorating whichever room Aurora chose. "Pick whichever one you like."